Steroid conjugates, preparation thereof and the use thereof

Abstract

Conjugates comprising one or more steroids conjugated with one or more mammalian proteins are disclosed. The conjugates are useful for diagnosis or treatment of solid cancer aid haematological malignancies. Further the conjugates exhibits a synergistic action together with a cytoskeleton acting drug such as Taxol®, which enable the treatment of cancers that otherwise would be non responsive to Taxol®.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A method for treating a solid or hematological cancer, the method comprising administering to a patient in need thereof a composition comprising: one or more androgen steroids, wherein the androgen steroid is covalently attached to a mammalian protein excluding an antibody and the cancer comprises membrane androgen receptor-bearing cells. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the solid cancer is one of prostate adenocarcinoma (hormone sensitive or resistant) and metastases thereof, breast cancer and metastases thereof, pheochromocytomas and metastases thereof, bone tumor and metastases thereof and brain tumor (neuroblastomas). 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the hematological cancer is one of acute or chronic myeloid leukemia, acute or chronic lymphoid leukemia and a lymphoma (B or T). 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the androgen is testosterone. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the mammalian protein is a recombinant or isolated natural serum albumin. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the one or more androgen steroids or the mammalian protein is detectably-labeled. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the testosterone is covalently attached to the mammalian protein through a carboxy-methyl ether linker. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the linker is covalently attached to the testosterone at the 3′ position of the steroidal ring. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 26 , the composition further comprises an antiandrogen. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the antiandrogen is present in about a 10-fold molar excess relative to the molar amount of the one or more androgen steroids. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the administration of the composition is parenteral, percutaneous or intravenous. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the composition is administered at least once daily. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the method further comprises the step of administering an antiandrogen to the patient. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the method further comprises the step of decreasing solid cancer mass in the patient. 
     
     
         40 . A method for treating a solid or hematological cancer, the method comprising administering to a patient in need thereof a composition comprising one or more androgen steroids, wherein the androgen steroid is covalently attached to a mammalian protein excluding an antibody selected from the group consisting of a globular protein, a plasma protein and albumin; and wherein the cancer comprises membrane androgen receptor-bearing cells. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the solid cancer is one of prostate adenocarcinoma (hormone sensitive or resistant) and metastases thereof, breast cancer and metastases thereof, pheochromocytomas and metastases thereof, bone tumor and metastases thereof and brain tumor (neuroblastomas). 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the haematological cancer is one of acute or chronic myeloid leukemia, acute or chronic lymphoid leukemia and a lymphoma (B or T). 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the androgen steroid is testosterone. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the mammalian protein is a recombinant or isolated natural serum albumin. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the one or more androgen steroids or the mammalian protein is detectably-labeled. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the testosterone is covalently attached to the mammalian protein through a carboxy-methyl ether linker. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the linker is covalently attached to the testosterone at the 3′ position of the steroidal ring. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the composition is administered at least once daily. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the method further comprises the step of decreasing solid cancer mass in the patient. 
     
     
         50 . A method for treating a solid cancer, the method comprising administering to a patient in need thereof a composition comprising: (a) one or more androgen steroids, wherein the androgen steroid is covalently attached to a mammalian protein excluding an antibody; and wherein the solid cancer is prostate adenocarcinoma (hormone sensitive or resistant) and metastases thereof, breast cancer and metastases thereof, pheochromocytomas and metastases thereof, bone tumor and metastases thereof or brain tumor (neuroblastomas) and wherein the cancer comprises membrane androgen receptor-bearing cells. 
     
     
         51 . A method for treating a solid cancer, the method comprising administering to a patient in need thereof a composition comprising: (a) one or more androgen steroids, wherein the androgen steroid is covalently attached to a mammalian protein excluding an antibody selected from the group consisting of a globular protein, a plasma protein, and albumin; and wherein the solid cancer is prostate adenocarcinoma (hormone sensitive or resistant) and metastases thereof, breast cancer and metastases thereof, pheochromocytomas and metastases thereof, bone tumor and metastases thereof and brain tumor (neuroblastomas) and wherein the cancer comprises membrane androgen receptor-bearing cells. 
     
     
         52 . The method of any one of  claims 26 ,  40 ,  50  or  51 , wherein the solid cancer is breast cancer.